


The Bright Side

by Gamifly



Category: Trolls (2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-16
Updated: 2016-11-16
Packaged: 2018-08-31 08:58:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8572270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gamifly/pseuds/Gamifly
Summary: Fluffy fic that takes place on the evening after Poppy is crowned Queen.Branch, while taking some time off of the celebration to reflect on all that had changed that day is interrupted by Poppy. They share a much needed heart to heart as memories are remembered and moments are made. The colourful life never felt this good.





	

It was a calm evening, at least for trolls, Branch mused to himself. For once allowing himself back on that same tree branch where he lost his Grandmother all those years ago. Being this high up, the noise from the others below was merely a light murmur and for once in his life, Branch was content. He needed some time to think over what was going to happen now.

After the initial celebration, King Gristle and the newly appointed, Queen Poppy made an official agreement that trolls were now longer to be eaten by any Burgen ever again. A pretty straightforward decree if Branch says so. However, what would that mean for them? Were they going to move back to the tree? Move closer? Or stay away? There were so many questions buzzing in his head.

Beside those problems were his own, the currently feeling of content not sitting right for him due to him being use to spending most of his life constantly on edge around anything. Was this due to his newly returned colour? Did having colour change a Trolls entire emotional make-up? He’d been without his pigment for so long he’d forgotten how true happiness felt like.

He'd caught a peek of himself in the reflection of one of the stores in Burgentown and almost couldn’t recognise the troll in front of him. He noticed that the slight worry lines he’d accumulated over the years had lessened some and his skin had the natural troll glow again. He remembered finally being able to change his hair colour by magic again, and the rainbow of colours he could product had a great impact on his emotions, his whole body radiating a happiness he had once felt.

And Poppy, oh Poppy…He had no idea what to do about anything that had happened throughout the course of the day, let alone what she may feel for him. And that had just opened a whole other list of questions.

Was her ‘I love you’ a friendly ‘I love you’? Was it something more? Did she think his was just friendly one too? Now he was panicking, his hands running down his face in frustration at his thoughts. As his hands came to rest on his chin he didn’t notice the company now next to him on the branch.

“Hey, Branch!” An overly enthusiastic Poppy exclaimed, causing the now blue troll to almost fall off said branch had she not stuck a hand out to catch him in time.

“Ack, Poppy!” he yelled at her, trying to gain some composure from the intrusion, “Don’t _do_ that!”

Poppy just tilted her head in mild confusion, smile not diminishing a bit, “Do what?” she asked.

"Sneak up on me! I swear I almost had a heart attack!” he blew out a steady breath, one hand over his chest. This girl will be the death of him!

"You are _such_ a drama queen!" she pushed his arm jokingly, "I wasn't sneaking up on you by the way, I noticed you up here by yourself and figured I’d join you.”

Branch let out a light huff at her, not surprised by her honesty, “Is that so…” he trailed off, now resting his chin on his knees. A faraway look on his face as he gazed out at the tree that surrounded them.

Poppy stared at him, worry etched onto her face. He looked so sad to her, and she hoped that after all that had occurred he may feel happy again.

Hearing him finally explain how and why he was the way he was made her feel so sorry for him. No child should have someone they love most ripped away from them. She could see how that loneliness and hopelessness would make anyone’s happiness fade.

He'd surprised her in so many ways that day. He was courageous, if not forced into it, caring, if not showing it easily and most importantly, loyal. Without him she would have surely been Burgen food by now. He showed her that even the meanest person can have more kindness in their heart. Even more so than someone she known forever, like Creek. Just hearing that name made her angry, not only at the troll himself, but herself for believing in him.

She continued to take the troll beside her in. From the sensible, if not boring, clothes to the tip of his now purple-blue hair. His light blue skin seemed to glow now, when before the grey would help him blend into the background. And his voice, wow…She hadn’t heard anyone in the world sound as sweet as he did when he sung. Truly, Branch was more than just a hermit that was paranoid of everything, but someone she could trust dearly.

Looking at his face now, although sad, he seemed more content, or centred than she had ever seen him. To be alone for twenty years was something she could never imagine and so Poppy made it her duty to make sure he was never lonely again.

She blushed a light red at her thoughts, staring off in the same direction as Branch. While it was true she did try to include him in her past celebrations, she hadn’t once stopped to ask him why he didn’t want to join in with the rest of the trolls. She had assumed he either couldn’t sing or dance well and felt put off by the others enthusiasm and confidence.

Well that certainly wasn’t true anymore as he had shown that he could not only sing amazingly, but could strut out some very impressive dance moves as well. He was certainly a sight to behold, she thought, grinning a slightly dopey smile as she lost herself in them.

There was a beat of silence and suddenly Poppy heard the sound of quiet sobbing coming from the troll beside her, causing her to be startled out of her thoughts to try and move closer to comfort him some. His colours seemed to flicker brighter with every heave he made, making the Queen confused as to how they hadn’t faded at all.

“B-Branch, why are you crying?!” she asked, throwing her arms around his shaking shoulders. Slowly and surely he was able to turn his head and look at her, her words then became frozen on her lips.

He was smiling. The biggest and most magnificent grin he has ever given her, his bright blue eyes glistening with still unshed tears. Poppy’s eyes widened at the amazing display. He used a hand to wipe the tears from his eyes and the snot from his nose, the smile not going away from his face.

"I honestly don't know, Poppy," he breathed out a content sigh, “Maybe it was to relieve the tension I’ve felt for so long,” he then gestured to the middle of the tree vaguely, “Could also be because I’m back here again.”

Poppy blinked, surprised, following his gaze to the little Troll house built into the main stump of the tree, then gasped, finally realising where they were sitting.

“Is this-“

“Yep,” He interrupted, standing up to gesture to the branch they were on, “My old home! But also the same place my Grandma was snatched from.” _Or similarly_ , he added in his head, realising that the tree had lost its life when the trolls had fled all that time ago and only now has leaves again.

Poppy stood up and walked closer to him, still very confused by the sheer expressions on his face, “And, are you…okay?” she asked softly, tilting her head so he’d look at her.

“I am,” he rubbed one of his shoulders unsurely, “at least, I will be, I think,” he dropped his arm to his side so he could turn fully towards her, “I think I’ve finally come to terms with it, her death I mean…And I shouldn’t let one event destroy my life anymore. I just want to be happy again and I think I can be,” he took her hands in his and looked her in the eye with such honesty that Poppy had to try to not look away, “And that’s all thanks to you, Poppy.”

The pink troll could feel herself blushing from his compliment, it somehow meaning more from him than anyone else, causing her to have to look away from him to regain her composure.

“I should be thanking you, Branch,” it was his turn to look confused, “without you coming to help me I would have already died at the hands of those spiders, let alone a Bergen,” she smiled at him earnestly, “And you helped bring back my colours.”

He let out a little huff, “I didn’t do anything to get your colours back though, that you did by yourself,” she was about to argue when he held up a hand to stop her, “but, you _do_ have a point about those spiders. You _were_ kind of passed out and wrapped up like a silver platter for them,” he chuckled lightly, “I don’t even _want_ to know how you ended up like that.”

“It’s a long story,” she giggled, “But seriously, without you there singing and trying to lift my spirits I would still be grey. What I still don’t understand is how you changed.”

“It was because of you!” he exclaimed, shaking their entwined hands in frustration, eyes shining, “You showed me how to be happy again. Being so positive all the time and although I didn’t want to go to them, you still invited me to all of your party’s. You showed me that everyone deserves to be happy,” a single tear made its way down his cheek, “Even me.”

“Of course, you silly grump! Now come and give me a hug before you make me cry!”

Automatically, like pieces of a puzzle clicking into place, Branch’s arms wound around her in a tight hug. It spoke of warmth and content and Poppy couldn’t think of anywhere she’s rather be. He smelt like the forest they’d come from and home.

Branch had closed his eyes in the hug, just enjoying the feeling once again, content to smell the flowers in her hair and the glow her presence gave to his life.

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Don't really like the ending for this, but it does lead into the next chapter which will hopefully be up either on the weekend or next week sometime. Hope you enjoy! =)


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